


They Tell Him

by Estelle4Ever



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Cheating!Zayn, Hurt/Comfort, alternative universe, hurt!Niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-24 18:49:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4931170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estelle4Ever/pseuds/Estelle4Ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They tell him.</p><p>Harry begs him to stay away, says that he will just end up hurt.<br/>Louis warns him against it, saying that it's not going to work out.<br/>Liam insists that it's unsafe and unhealthy and downright dangerous.</p><p>They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.</p><p>He doesn't listen.</p><p>AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	They Tell Him

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

Niall tells them that they're being ridiculous.

Harry's eyes widen the way they do when he's nervous or scared.

Louis is shaking his head vehemently before Niall even finishes his sentence.

Liam just looks worried. Worried and anxious.

"Niall, I don't think this will work." Harry says softly.

"And why not?" Niall replies belligerently, a little miffed that they're not jumping up to congratulate him on his new relationship status.

"Zayn Malik? Niall, he doesn't _do_ relationships!" Louis exclaims.

"Okay. Sure. That explains why he asked me to be his boyfriend about three hours ago." Niall retorts sarcastically.

All three of them have their eyes trained on him, and he finds it unnerving, "What makes you think he's not gonna treat me right?"

"He's known for...well....cheating and partying and sleeping around." Harry drawls, still looking anxious about the whole thing, "He kind of has a reputation."

"He's changed." Niall insists, "He's trying to be different, he told me."

Liam bites his lips and Louis runs a hand through his hair and Harry sighs.

"We don't want to see you hurt." Liam ventures.

"I'm a big boy, Li. I can take care of myself." Niall says, "And you don't need to worry anyways. Zayn will never hurt me."

They didn't know Zayn, not the way he did. They didn't know about his soft side and beautiful laugh and funny jokes.

But his statement has the other three looking worried all over again, and Niall groans in frustration.

They tell him that Zayn's a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that he's just going to end up hurt.

He tells them that they're just jealous.

"Jealous of _what?_ " Louis says angrily, "Jealous that we don't have boyfriends who are probably out partying every Friday, but tell us that they're studying? Oh, I'm sure we're all extremely envious!"

"Louis!" Liam hisses, "Shut up!"

"That's not what he meant." Harry says, not looking Niall in the eye, "Not exactly."

"Not exactly? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Niall snaps, "God, you guys don't even know him!"

"We know _about_ him!" Louis retorts.

"You can't judge someone from what you hear, you've never even met him!"

"Don't want to."

Niall lets out a stream of incoherent swear words, and Liam is holding Louis back and Harry is standing in the middle, like some sort of barrier.

"Why are you so fucking determined to make me believe that this is all wrong when I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life?" Niall asks furiously, red from anger.

Louis softens a bit, and Liam lets him go, and Harry's eyes hesitantly meet his.

They tell him Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that the whole thing is going to crash and burn.

He tells them to rot in hell.

Harry flinches, and Louis scowls and Liam eyes him disapprovingly.

"We're trying to _help_ you, Nialler." Liam says.

"I don't _need_ help." Niall answers coldly, "Especially not yours."

Harry looks hurt at this, so Niall sighs, "I didn't mean it like that."

Louis glares, "Sure sounded like you did."

"Shut up." Niall replies, "Nobody asked you."

"You should." Louis snaps, "Then maybe you wouldn't be living a lie."

Niall recoils, but Louis doesn't seem to care, "I heard he hooked up with that cute blond chick at the party on Friday. Perrie or something."

"Party?" Niall echoes.

"What?" Louis laughs, bitter and cold, "He told you he had family commitments or some shit like that?"

"Stop it." Niall says angrily, "I don't need you to feed me lies so I'll break up with him or something. Just accept that we're dating and we're happy, and then move on. Try to be happy for me. It's not that hard."

Harry hugs him tight, "Don't want to see you hurt."

"You've mentioned that."

Louis lets out a loud, long, frustrated sigh, "I'm happy that you're happy. I'm not happy that this is what makes you happy."

"Deal with it." Niall answers simply.

Louis shrugs. Liam gives him a look, so he forces a half-smile onto his face. 

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that Zayn has secrets.

He tells them that everybody does.

"They think you're cheating on me." Niall says, one night when he and Zayn are cuddled into the couch after dinner. Because Zayn does have secrets, just like everyone else, and Niall respects that.

"Do they?" Zayn asks nonchalantly, "Your friends?"

"Yeah." Niall traces one of Zayn's tattoos, "It's stupid, isn't it?"

Zayn hums softly and presses his lips to Niall's. Niall pulls him close and wonders why Liam, Louis and Harry can't just accept Zayn for the amazing person that he is.

"I love you, Zayn." Niall sighs contentedly, when they pause for air.

Zayn smiles at him. It's the wide smile that lights up his face and makes his eyes crinkle.

"You're gorgeous." Zayn whispers, and Niall blushes.

The next day, Zayn has some work to do, and he goes out to meet his study group.

Niall calls Liam and says that this time he won't miss their Friday movie night, he'll be there in five minutes, and Liam and Louis and Harry cheer on the other end of the phone.

Niall leaves a post-it for Zayn, telling him where he is and what he's doing and when he'll be back. He sticks it on the mirror, because that's one place Zayn is sure to look.

Before he leaves, he digs out one of Zayn's black jackets and pulls it on. It smells like him, and Niall breathes it in.

"Been a while since you turned up." Louis says appreciatively, "Maybe you can convince Harry that Titanic and Love Actually are out."

"Grease." Niall replies, "I want to watch Grease."

Louis fist-pumps and Liam grins at Harry's pout.

"Where's Zayn?" Harry asks curiously, "I mean...if you're really happy with him and it's working out, I suppose we don't mind him tagging along."

A brief shadow flickers across Louis's face, but he nods hesitantly.

This proposition makes Niall ridiculously happy, "I'll ask him about it next week. He's out today. Gotta meet his study group for this big group project coming up."

"About what?" Liam asks, sliding the disk into the CD Player.

"Um..." Niall tries to remember whether Zayn actually ever mentioned what the project was about, "I never really asked."

Louis snorts, "Made it easier for him, huh?"

Niall turns on Louis in an instant, "Don't fucking talk about him like that! You don't know him like I do! One minute you're okay with him coming over, and the next, you're dissing him again."

Louis scowls, "Where was he last Thursday, when you were able to make it to _our_ study group for once?"

Niall scowls right back, "His cousin was in town, and he went to see her."

"Right. Of course." Louis says sarcastically, "That explains why he was making out with some blond girl at Ed Sheeran's party."

"He _wasn't._ " Niall hisses, and he's furious, because Louis's doing it _again_ , feeding him lies and passing on stupid rumors about Zayn, just so Niall will believe the shit about the boy's reputation and break up with him.

Zayn had come home late that Thursday- Niall was already asleep. But when he woke up, Zayn was making pancakes, and there was a little blue mug on the dining table with a picture of a guitar.

"I told her you loved music, so she brought you this when she was coming. Mine's green. It has a microphone on it." Zayn smiled at him widely, and Niall had kissed him and picked up his mug and asked Zayn to tell his cousin that he loved it.

"Yes, he was, Niall. Nearly everyone was talking about it." Louis spits, "I heard from Eleanour, who heard from her friend Cher, who heard from Leigh-Anne Pinnock."

Niall is even more angry now, because Louis is so clearly passing on a rumor. Niall wants nothing more than to punch his face, but Harry's holding him back, and Liam his standing like a shield between him and Louis, and Niall wonders when their loyal, steady friendship turned into this.

He doesn't stay for the movie.

He storms out about five minutes later, after yelling at them that they don't understand and they never will, because they don't try to.

Louis yells back that they understand much better than he does, and Harry and Liam beg Niall to listen, but he doesn't. He turns away and walks right out, wondering whether they will ever be as close as they were before they started being assholes about Zayn.

Their words ring in his ears and make him more angry, because they just don't understand.

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that he's made the wrong choice.

He tells them that he doesn't care about their opinion.

Zayn is his, and Zayn is perfect, and he loves him.

They are upset that Niall has found another person to spend time with, they are irritated that Zayn is different from them, they are angry that Niall is more open-minded and accepting than they are.

Niall wonders if the four of them can even qualify as best friends anymore, because he sees the three of them around sometimes, laughing and chattering without him. It looks odd, empty, without a blond one who laughs too loud and talks too much.

But Niall tells himself that it doesn't matter, because _he_ is spending that time with Zayn, cuddling and kissing and watching TV and listening to music. And when Zayn goes out for his study groups and projects, Niall sits at home and gets some of his own work done.

Zayn is home before ten, and they enjoy the late-night talk shows and movies together. 

Zayn is sweet and funny and mysterious, and Niall knows that he is lucky to have him.

When the Titanic is on, Niall insists that they watch it. Zayn flashes him a fond smile and ruffles his hair and agrees.

The movie reminds Niall so much of Harry that he can't help but shed a few tears. Zayn wipes them away and affectionately calls him a softy, but Niall's mind is on the nights he'd spend crying over the movie with Harry, while _Liam_ called them softies and Louis chucked popcorn at the screen. A few more tears roll down.

That's when he realizes how much he really misses them, and the next time Titanic or Love Actually or Grease is on, Niall changes the channel to something else, something that reminds him of Zayn, instead, because that is so much easier.

After a glorious month, Zayn starts leaving for his study groups more often.

"The big presentation is weeks away." Zayn says, hurriedly pulling on a jacket over his turtleneck.

"You're gonna do great." Niall says confidently, and Zayn smiles and kisses him and says he won't be home till twelve.

Niall finishes his own work before nine, and it's Friday, and all he can remember is that it's been a month since he stopped watching Grease.

As if on cue, his phone rings, and Niall is beyond shocked to realize that the music blaring from his pocket is the special ringtone he'd set for Harry, because he hasn't seen that name- or Louis's or Liam's- on his caller ID for weeks.

He picks up the call- a little nervously, but he still picks up- and Harry says hesitantly, "Hi."

"Hi." Niall replies, trying to remember the last time a conversation between him and _Harry_ was awkward.

"Um...we're-me and Louis- are at Liam's house, and we're gonna watch Grease, and we were wondering maybe if you'd wanna...?" Harry trails off, but Niall is already digging through his closet for Zayn's black leather jacket.

"Be there in five." he says, and he can practically see Harry's face light up on the other end of the phone.

Niall leaves Zayn a post-it, sticks it on the mirror like usual, even though he knows he'll probably be home before Zayn is.

Then he gets into his car and drives to Liam's house. He doesn't need to think at all, because he knows the directions by heart. He's known them since he was 7, and will probably know them until he's 70. Just like he knows exactly what Louis will order at Pizza Hut, from the drink to the meal to the dessert, and he knows both of Harry's mobile numbers by heart, plus his landline and his mother's number.

Harry opens the door and greets him with a hug and Liam slaps him a high-five and Louis gives him a wide, genuine smile.

They only mention Zayn once, when he and Harry are preparing the popcorn and Liam is finding the CD and Louis is setting up the cushions.

"At the study group?" Liam asks conversationally, "Zayn?"

Niall nods, "Their big presentation is right around the corner."

"Their?"

"Him and his group."

Harry drops a bit of butter into the popcorn, "Who else is in his group?"

Niall realizes that he's never asked that, either, so he shrugs. Nobody asks anything after that. Louis doesn't make any comments and Niall doesn't offer any information.

Harry and Liam exchange a brief look, though. Niall fights the urge to snap and lets it slide.

They settle into the giant sofa that has just enough room for the four of them, and Liam switches off the lights and turns on the movie, and Harry divides the two bowls of popcorn between them.

"Missed you." Harry says softly, "Last month. Lou actually cried when we gathered at his house to study because it was your week to host."

"I did not!" Louis says indignantly, but they all laugh and Niall feels warm and happy. If all it takes to keep his friendship with these three going is not mentioning Zayn, Niall is okay with it. Because he will spend his time with his best friends and then go home to the love of his life. He just has to keep his two worlds from merging, and he can live with that.

"I missed you lot, too." Niall says sincerely, and Liam smiles at him.

He leaves at the same time as Louis and Harry. He doesn't storm out like last time. He doesn't need to.

"So all our traditions back on, then?" Harry asks hopefully, "You'll be around for Movie Night and Studying Thursdays and Karaoke Saturdays?"

Niall nods, "As often as I can. Might miss a couple of Saturdays once in a while, but that's all."

They seems satisfied with this. The air is the slightest bit tense, but Niall can live with that, too.

"An you and Zayn are...okay, yeah?" Louis clears his throat, "Still happy and working?"

"Very." Niall confirms, "I'm happiest I've ever been. I love him, Lou."

He and Louis stare at each other, and he wonders why Louis looks sympathetic instead of irritated and angry.

They gather for their group hug- another tradition of theirs- and before they leave, they say they have something to tell Niall that they've already said before. They ask him not to get angry, so he doesn't, simply shrugs and smiles and trudges to his car, saying he'll be around for Karaoke tomorrow night.

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that he's being ignorant.

He tells them that everyone has their flaws.

"Can we come over?" Louis whines, "We never come to yours any more."

It's a group call, and the minute Louis says that, Liam and Harry are whining, too.

"Okay, okay. But what do you want to do here at, like, ten in the morning?" Niall asks.

"Whatever." Liam says, "Just chill."

"Fine, I guess. But Zayn's here."

"It's fine." Harry replies.

"He's sleeping. You gotta be quiet." Niall says cautiously.

Much to his surprise, they agree. They're over in ten minute, and they're not as loud as usual so they don't wake Zayn.

"Why's he still sleeping?" Louis asks at twelve-thirty.

"Late night last night." Niall answers, "Study group."

Louis's eyes flash with some emotion that Niall can't quite place, but the next second, he's setting up another FIFA game and insisting that Liam will lose this time, and Niall's sure he imagined it.

Zayn stumbles out of the room a little later, a washcloth around his neck and a comb in his hand. He's gorgeous as ever, and Niall's smile widens.

"Hey, sleepy." he says teasingly.

Zayn flashes him the usual affectionate smile and does a little mock-salute, looking a bit surprised to see Harry, Louis and Liam.

"Oh, yeah, thought they could chill here for a bit." Niall says, "Hope it's okay."

"Of course." Zayn flicks the other three a lazy smile, "Hey."

"Hey." they chorus back.

"How's the group project going, then?" Harry asks, and Niall's pleased that he's trying to make conversation.

Zayn looks momentarily puzzled, "Nialler told you about that?"

"Yeah. I mean, why shouldn't he? I was curious as to why you'd been missing Ed's parties, as well." Louis says. Niall misses the warning undertone in his voice.

Zayn, who is inspecting his reflection in the mirror, whirls around to look at Louis with an unreadable expression, "Oh."

Niall is confused by Zayn's odd behaviour, but he supposes that meeting Harry, Liam and Louis is about as nerve-wracking as meeting Niall's family, so he lets it slide.

That afternoon, when his three friends leave his house, they each give him a hug and tell him to be careful. Niall was hoping that their brief conversations with Zayn over the course of the day would deter them from their usual parting line, but it doesn't, and Niall sighs as they say it again.

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that they have the proof.

He tells them that anybody can lie.

"I'll call Ed!" Louis says vehemently, "I'm telling you Niall, Zayn wasn't at some shitty-ass study group last night, he was fucking Perrie Edwards in a bathtub."

'Rubbish." Niall snaps. He doesn't get as angry as he had before, because he's used to Louis's wild stories and somewhat selfish behavior, "Zayn wasn't even at the party."

"Yes. He. Was." Louis seeths, and Niall starts to feel the old urge to sock the boy's face.

"Wait, Ni, listen." Harry says quickly, before Niall can act, "He probably wasn't fucking Perrie or anything-"

"-he _definitely_ wasn't." Niall interjects.

"Okay, he wasn't doing anything like that, but he _was_ at the party." Harry says, sounding so confident that Niall actually believes him.

Because it's Harry. Harry, who's been the most accepting of Zayn. Harry, who'd stopped Louis from ranting about Niall's 'unhealthy' relationship more times than they can count. Harry, who usually refrains from meddling in Niall's love life.

"He said he was meeting his study group." Niall insists, "Why would he lie?"

"So you wouldn't know he was going to the party." Louis replies in a 'duh' voice, and Niall's fingers twitch.

"I'm sure he wasn't cheating on you." Liam says, "But he was definitely at the party, Niall."

"How would you know?" Niall asks stubbornly, "You weren't there, either."

Louis is already dialing Ed's number. He puts it on speakerphone so they can all hear the conversation, and when Ed picks up, Lou cuts straight to the chase.

"Ed, hey, this is Louis."

"Lou, my man! What's up, how've you been?" Ed says cheerfully, "You and your lot haven't been turning up for my parties recently."

"That's what I wanted to talk about, actually, mate." Louis says, "You had a party last night, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Was Zayn there? Zayn Malik?"

Niall holds his breath. Ed Sheeran is a great guy, and one of the most honest people in the world. He doesn't tell lies or pass rumors or give away secrets. It's like he doesn't even know _how._  
If you ever need the truth, you'll get it from Ed, and he hasn't once misused that level of trust.

"Zayn?" Ed repeats, "Oh, yeah, of course he was there. He's there every week. Tell Niall that he better start coming, too."

Niall feels as if someone has just punched him in the gut. Liam and Harry are staring at him sorrowfully and Louis is thanking Ed for the information and cutting the call.

It's just silence for a long moment, and then Niall says in a rush, "He probably meets his study group there, you know, or Ed might just be joking, because Zayn doesn't lie, Zayn promised it was just a group and he loves me and-"

"Niall." Liam says softly, but Niall is already getting up from the sofa.

If he goes home and just sleeps, he can pretend that this never happens, it was all a nightmare, and Zayn will come home from wherever he is right now and kiss him and cuddle him and love him. It will never be the same, because Niall knows that Zayn lied, but it doesn't matter.

Niall's too in love to let Zayn go. He can't function without Zayn, he can't _live_ without Zayn. He needs Zayn to survive. It doesn't matter if Zayn lied. Just because he was at the party, doesn't mean he cheated. Just because he lies about where he is, doesn't mean he lies about what he's doing. At the end of the day- or the morning of the next- Zayn will be back home, he will come back to Niall, and that is all that matters.

Niall can sleep it off, like it's some dreadful hangover, and pretend the whole thing never happened. He wonders whether Zayn has been at these parties _every_ time he went out, and realizes that it's not possible, because Ed doesn't have that many parties. He has one a week, not three.

This makes Niall feel better, this makes it easier for him to block it out.

Louis, Liam and Harry stand at the doorway as Niall pulls on Zayn's black leather jacket. They ask him to stay so they can talk about it, but that is the last thing Niall needs right now, so he says he'll see them later and he turns around and he leaves.

They tell him that it isn't working.

Now he knows they are right.

They tell him it's unhealthy.

He knows they are right about that, too, and he already knows what they are going to say next, but he can't bring himself to pay attention and actually agree, so he rushes to his car and pretends he never heard them.

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

He doesn't listen.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell him that he needs to be at the nightclub in five.

He tells them that he'll be right there.

"Niall, we want to show you something." Louis says through the phone, about a week after the little incident, "How fast can you get to the Scala Nightclub? Can you make it in five?"

"'Course." Niall is already shrugging into Zayn's black leather jacket and quiffing up his hair, "Why? Something important? Liam and Haz already there?"

"Yes, they are, yes, it's important." Louis says, "This is the good part about not going to Ed's party last night. No one else will bother going out the night after that. It's just us."

Zayn was at that party, too. This time, Niall knows he's only off to a study group once a week, not thrice, and he tries not to think about the extra two times.

"Are you at the door?" Louis urges.

"Yes, Lou, God." Niall huffs, "Some sick Jazz band?"

Louis's reply is cut off by Harry's voice. After a muffled conversation on Louis's end, the boy says, "Niall, I suppose if you want you can bring Zayn with you. Haz says it's manners to ask."

Niall can't help but chuckle. Typical Lou, and typical Harry. He can almost imagine Liam glaring at both of them disapprovingly, and it warms his heart.

"It's alright." Niall says, "He's not home. He's got a study group."

"Is it a study group?"

This stings Niall for a moment, but he now he knows that Louis only ever means the best, so he says, "Yeah. Like you said, Ed's party was last night."

"Oh. Okay, then. Hurry up!"

Niall chuckles again as he cuts the call and drives to the club as fast as the speed limit permits him.

Louis's waiting near the entrance, and he grabs Niall's arm and says that the other two are further in.

There's no specifically special band playing. It's just the normal DJ, and Niall frowns in confusion, because he thought Louis said that there was a Jazz Band.

Then he remembers that Louis never actually answered his question.

Louis tugs him through crowds of people and past the bar and past the DJ. Along the way, they bump into Harry, who's looking around the club as if he was waiting for them. As if he was in position.

Niall starts feeling a little suspicious. He tries to pull away from Louis, but the boy has a tight grip on his elbow, and Harry is standing behind him, like he's ready to catch him if he tries to run.

They make their way to the back of the club, where Liam's positioned, and Niall is absolutely positive that they're planning something now, because Liam is nodding and gesturing at them frantically, and Harry's walking faster, and Louis is practically _running_ , dragging him to where Liam is.

Together, they walk a few more feet, and Niall is scared. He wonders what they have to show him, what they've planned in such a manner. Why Liam looks frantic and Harry looks broken and Louis - _Louis,_ of all people- looks nervous.

Harry points to the wall at the back of the club, where there are several pairs of people making out. Niall wonders how many of them actually know one another. He turns to Harry, confused, before realizing that Harry's not pointing to the wall- he's pointing to one couple in particular.

Niall squints and Liam tugs him forward for a better look and Niall's eyes widen, because there's a blonde girl pushed up against the wall and she's feverishly kissing someone. _Zayn._

Zayn pulls away from her briefly and whispers something into her ear. She giggles and nods, and they begin kissing again. Niall stands, rooted to the spot, willing himself to look away, but he can't, because this was Zayn, this was _his_ Zayn, making out with some _girl_ at the back of some posh club.

And Zayn doesn't look the least regretful, he doesn't look as if he cares that he has Niall waiting for him at home, waiting for him to come back so they can cuddle and kiss and watch movies. Niall feels his heart shatter, and he wants to scream at Zayn, rip him away from the girl- Perrie- and ask him what he thought he was doing.

But he didn't, he couldn't, so he just stood there in Zayn's black leather jacket, staring, his eyes filled with tears.

Liam steers him away from the scene, looking unbearable guilty, as if the whole thing is _his_ fault, which it most certainly isn't. Harry and Louis trail behind them. Harry is looking at his feet, and Louis is looking straight ahead, his eyes blank, his face expressionless.

They get into Niall's car, because apparently the other three walked. Harry drives, because of the long-standing joke that Louis is bad with cars and would probably crash Niall's.

It doesn't make him laugh.

They drive to Niall's apartment first- _Zayn's_ apartment, because Niall is definitely moving out, after two long years- so he can pick up his things. Niall's tears fall faster, because he realizes that he has nowhere to go, because where does a college-studying kid who's been living with his boyfriend for two years go? Harry and Louis are flatmates, and Liam's family is rich enough to pitch in and rent him a flat where he can live alone, and now Niall has nowhere.

"My place." Liam whisper, as if he knew what Niall was thinking, "I have room. I always have room."

And the four of them trudge upstairs to Niall's and Zayn's- no, now it was just Zayn's- flat, and Niall unlocks the door and pushes it open. The other three don't come inside. They sit on the staircase and wait for him, because they know he needs to do it alone.

The familiar scent hits Niall like a ton of bricks. It smells like Armani Mania and smoke and cologne and pizza and paint- because Zayn loved to paint- and it smells like coffee and just Zayn. Niall starts sobbing agan, so hard that he could barely see where he was going. He tears through his closet, stuffing clothes and shoes and chargers and socks into his suitcase. He only had two suitcases, anyway. One has his clothes, one has his personal items. Then, there's his backpack with all his school stuff. That was all he had. He is packed. He is leaving.

Niall lies down on the bed he shares with Zayn and closes his eyes. It smells like Zayn, and for a brief moment, he pretends that it's night, and Zayn's sleeping next to him and pretends that the whole thing never happened.

But he's done pretending, pretending has gotten him into so much trouble, so he sits up again and thinks of anyone but Zayn.

Niall grabs his backpack and two suitcases and takes in everything about his home of two years, from the dining table to the TV to the couch and the bed. He eyes the mirror where he stuck post-its for Zayn, to let him know where he was.

_Zee, going to Liam's for a movie nite w/the boys. Will be back by 11:30. Hope your study sesh went well. Love you. -Niall._  
_Zayn, I'll b at Harry's 4 some karaoke. Be back by 12. Love u. -Niall._  
_Z, I'm at Lou's for my studying sesh, hop urs went ok, be back by 10. Luv ya. -Niall._  
_Zee, I'm going to Liams for another movie nite w/the boys, be bcak by 12. I love you. -Niall_

Niall's tears are falling even faster now, and he knows that Zayn _must_ have cared a little, if he kept the notes instead of throwing them out.

He made his way to the door, and to his surprise, Zayn is walking up the stairs. Niall wonders why he is back so soon. Did things not go well with Perrie?

Liam, Louis and Harry are glaring furiously at Zayn, who hasn't yet noticed them. Then the darker boy glances up, realizing that the door is open. He stares in confusion at Niall, who is tearful. There is a backpack slung across his shoulder, and he is clutching two suitcases. Zayn takes in Niall's clubbing clothes and gelled hair and his three friends' glares and he pales instantly.

"Niall-" he begins, but Niall doesn't want to hear it. He shrugs off the black leather jacket he's wearing, because it's not his, and he will never borrow it again.

"Niall-" Zayn tries again, and this time, Niall just chucks the jacket at him. He notices that Zayn has a dark purple spot on his neck.

Zayn opens his mouth, probably to beg, to defend himself, to _say something_ , but Niall's already pushed past without a word and is leaving with Harry, Louis and Liam.

Before he goes, he chucks something else at Zayn: his key to the house.

Zayn catches it, staring disbelievingly, shaking his head, but no words come out.

By the time he does speak, Niall's already gone.

They go straight to Liam's house after that, because where else do they go?

Niall collapses on the couch and cries, and Harry cries with him, and Liam rubs his back, and Louis dries his tears.  
Louis doesn't say _I told you so_.  
Harry doesn't say _I knew it._.  
Liam doesn't say _You should have listened to us._

They let him cry, and they are there for him, and Niall realizes that that's what friends are for, that's what they do for each other. They'd put up with his temper and stupidity, and they knew he was wrong, but they never left his side.

He wonders how long they've known, how long the whole thing has been staring him in the face.  
He wonders how often the other three would get together and shake their heads or laugh at his stupidity.  
He wonders how he could have been so blind, how he could have brushed away Harry's concerns and Liam's lectures.  
He wonders how he could have glared at Louis, when the whole time the boy had been right. 

But none of them laugh or say that he had it coming. None of them say that he should have known.

They rub his back and let him cry himself to sleep. He's not awake to hear them say it this time.

They say it anyway, though. 

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea. 

He doesn't listen.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They tell them that they're always there for him.

He tells them that he knows.

The next morning, Zayn shows up at Liam's house, still wearing yesterdays clubbing clothes. Even though he'd been cheating for so long, Niall thinks that he might be sorry, because his eyes are red and he's begging.

Then Niall notices the new red mark on his neck, different from the purple one last night, and he shuts his thoughts down.

Zayn is holding an orange sweater, "You left this there." 

Niall takes it without a word. He doesn't say thanks. He doesn't tell Zayn to fuck off. He doesn't say anything. He does remember that he also left a red sweater behind, because he'd accidentally taken Zayn's red leather jacket instead. 

But Zayn doesn't ask for the red leather jacket, and he didn't bring Niall's red sweater.

Niall likes to think that Zayn will keep it to remember him, remember _them_ by, because Niall will take out the red leather jacket every once in a while and breathe in the smell of Zayn and remember late night cuddles and early morning coffees.

"Please, Niall." Zayn whispers. His beautiful caramel eyes flash with regret, "I'm so sorry. One more chance. Please."

Niall thinks that he might take one more chance. He might never be the same without Zayn and the smell of smoke. He might never get used to the smell of a room without paint. He will always miss Zayn thrusting pictures into his face- pictures of Niall that Zayn had painted himself. 

Niall might never be able to hold Zayn and kiss him and love him if he doesn't take the chance, and Zayn might love him back properly this time.

But then Liam's hand is on Niall's shoulder, and Louis and Harry are standing behind him, and Niall remembers them telling him that it was a bad idea, that it was dangerous, that it would go wrong, from the beginning.

He remembers them being with him till the end.

He remembers all the lies and mysterious smiles and late night returns.

He remembers all the times he told Zayn _I love you_ and received a smile and a kiss in return, but never an _I love you, too._

He remembers finding out that Zayn had secretly attended all those parties during a shady phone call to Ed.

He remembers Louis, Liam and Harry dragging him to the back of the club last night, remembers the lump in his throat when he realized what Zayn had been doing for so long.

Niall turns to Liam, Louis and Harry and they shake their heads as Zayn begs again, and Niall knows what they are going to say before they even say it.

"Niall." Zayn begs, "Please."

And Niall shakes his head and shuts the door, ending his relationship with the love of his life, the beautiful, amazing person who broke his heart so many times.

He falls back into Liam, Louis and Harry and they hold him and comfort him and cry with him and rub soothing circles into his back. Liam switches on _Grease_ and Harry suggests popcorn and Louis sets up the cushions.

They tell him that Zayn is a bad idea.

This time, he listens.  


**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> And here is my third story. I'm sorry to all the people who have been asking for happy Ziall.  
> I'm focusing on angst at the moment, but I'll work on some fluff soon.  
> I hope you liked the story!
> 
> -Estelle


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